The invention relates in general to mobiles and in particular to a triangular mobile which is collapsible and may be opened into a triangular self-suspending display.
One of the problems associated with product displays in retail establishments, such as grocery stores, is that they must simultaneously be eye-catching in order to attract the interest of the store patron as well as able to be compactly stored and shipped. In the past, a number of product displays have been developed, which while attractive to the consumer have not been easy to ship or easy to set up rapidly.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,316 to Thomas for Ceiling Suspended Product Display discloses a triangular cross-section display made up of three panels. The display requires an inordinate amount of time to set up because some of the panels, although hinged together, must be closed on each other by employing a pair of twist ties 46. In addition, the display has a tendency to be pulled in on itself due to the fact that a three-point suspension system is employed which places a sideways inward tension on the top portions of the panels. If the panels are made of relatively flexible material, such as light cardboard or paperboard, the display may have a tendency to collapse.
Another display is of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 949,538 to Igelstroem for Sign which is directed to a collapsible rectangular sign having an apex portion drawn together by a string. The sign is substantially triangular with tipped-down faces which might prevent a customer from reading the sign easily and conveniently if he were to be confronted with it at approximately eye level. In addition, the string must be carefully threaded through each of the apexes 22 of the sign.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,545,771 to Hout for Display Carton is directed to a display carton comprising a substantially planar back wall and a semicircular cylindrical wall connected to the back wall. A pair of semicircular members comprising a cover 20 and a bottom 36 are hinged away from the back wall and support the display carton in its open position. It may be appreciated that since the semicircular wall is in part not self-supporting, both the top 20 and the bottom 36 must be employed in order to render the open display carton substantially rigid.
A similar display is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,576,672 to Miller for Advertising Display Easel. Miller teaches a display having a planar back wall and a semicircular front B. A pair of ends 7 and 8, which are substantially semicircular, are hinged to the planar back wall for supporting the structure in its open position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,434 to Leigh for Display Device is directed to a display system having a substantially square cross section and comprised of a single sheet of flexible material creased along fold lines. U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,924 to Hutt for Display Device discloses a display unit having a circular front wall connected to a flat back wall or in the alternative a somewhat triangularly shaped front wall as may best be seen in FIG. 5.
What is needed is a display system which may be quickly and easily set up but which may be folded compact for storage.